Goodwill is getting into the grocery business

Goodwill Industries International, Inc., which operates stores selling donated goods around the country while helping people in need, will soon become a grocery operator.

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys in Virginia is partnering with the City of Roanoke, public and non-profit partners, as well as community stakeholders to reimagine the current Goodwill Jobs Campus into a new community center.

The center, which will be located at 2502 Melrose Avenue NW in Roanoke, is named Melrose Plaza and will feature a grocery store, an adult high school, wellness center and banking services.

The full-service grocery store, Market on Melrose, will serve as the center's anchor. Online ordering and delivery will be available.

“Through the inclusion of a grocery store in Northwest Roanoke, Goodwill will collaborate to provide access to fresh, healthy, affordable food options for area residents,” Goodwill Industries of the Valleys said in a statement. “This grocery store will not only improve healthy food access, but also will provide employment opportunities for area residents.”

Horizon Goodwill Industries in Maryland early last year announced plans to open a full-service grocery story in Hagerstown, after receiving a $50,000 grant. But that store, slated to debut in 2022, does not appear to have opened. 

On Thursday, Goodwill Industries of the Valleys welcomed another new partnership for Melrose Plaza. The pre-construction and construction management partner was selected through a public request for proposals, and Goodwill selected Kjellstrom Lee, for the development of Melrose Plaza.  The announcement comes after Goodwill recently received approval from the Roanoke City Council to rezone—allowing the renovation for Melrose Plaza to begin.

The first phase of the project will be the Market on Melrose, and construction will begin in the coming months with a groundbreaking ceremony slated for later this year. The project is slated to be completed by the end of 2024.

Goodwill Industries International is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides "people with opportunities and support to empower themselves and thrive through training, development and employment," according to the organization Goodwill sells donated items in nearly 3,300 outlet and retail stores in the U.S. and Canada and online at shopgoodwill.com and other online marketplaces.